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HB871 • 2026

Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-308.7:1, relating to storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty.

Children Crime Firearms
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Downey
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Firearms; storage in residence where minor or person prohibited from possessing is present, penalty.

Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty.

What This Bill Does

  • Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty.
  • Provides that any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present shall store such firearm and the ammunition for such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person.
  • Under the bill, any person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
  • The bill also requires any dealer, as that term is defined in current law, to post a written notice informing the public of the penalty imposed for failure to comply with the bill's provisions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB871G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB871) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.

  • (HB871) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.
  • Line 14, enrolled, after such firearm strike the remainder of line 14 and through firearm on line 15 2.
  • Line 16, enrolled, after person insert , or shall render such firearm incapable of being fired by use of a gun locking device appropriate to that firearm and specific to this purpose 3.
  • Line 18, enrolled, after Class strike the remainder of line 18 insert 2 4.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Governor's recommendation adopted

  2. 2026-04-22 House

    Signed by Speaker

  3. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Signed by President

  4. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 1074 (effective 7/1/2026)

  5. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled

  6. 2026-04-22 House

    Reenrolled bill text (HB871ER2)

  7. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1074)

  8. 2026-04-22 House

    House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A)

  9. 2026-04-22 House

    Reconsideration of Governor's recommendation agreed to

  10. 2026-04-22 House

    House concurred in Governor's recommendation (63-Y 37-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  13. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  14. 2026-03-14 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  15. 2026-03-12 House

    Signed by Speaker

  16. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Signed by President

  17. 2026-03-11 House

    Enrolled

  18. 2026-03-11 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB871ER)

  19. 2026-03-11 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB871)

  20. 2026-03-04 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (60-Y 34-N 0-A)

  21. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  22. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  23. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  24. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  25. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Read third time

  27. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  28. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  29. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Rules suspended

  30. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Rules suspended

  31. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  32. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  33. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  34. 2026-02-25 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  35. 2026-02-24 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB871)

  36. 2026-02-23 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)

  37. 2026-02-23 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108451D-S1

  38. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  39. 2026-02-06 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  40. 2026-02-05 House

    Read third time and passed House (60-Y 37-N 0-A)

  41. 2026-02-04 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  42. 2026-02-03 House

    Read first time

  43. 2026-01-30 Public Safety

    Reported from Public Safety (14-Y 7-N)

  44. 2026-01-29 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB871)

  45. 2026-01-29 Firearms

    Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (3-Y 3-N)

  46. 2026-01-29 Firearms

    Reconsidered by Public Safety (Voice Vote)

  47. 2026-01-29 Firearms

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 4-N)

  48. 2026-01-23 Firearms

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Firearms

  49. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101397D

  50. 2026-01-13 Public Safety

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty.
Provides that any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present shall store such firearm and the ammunition for such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person. Under the bill, any person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill also requires any dealer, as that term is defined in current law, to post a written notice informing the public of the penalty imposed for failure to comply with the bill's provisions. This bill is identical to SB 348.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
18.2-308.7:1
, relating to storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
18.2-308.7:1
as follows:
§
18.2-308.7:1
. Storage of firearms; penalty.
A. For purposes of this section:
"Firearm" means the same as that term is defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
.
"Minor" means an individual younger than 18 years of age who is not authorized to use or possess a firearm under §
18.2-308.7
.
B. Any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present shall store such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person, or shall render such firearm incapable of being fired by use of a gun locking device appropriate to that firearm and specific to this purpose. A firearm may be stored loaded, provided that (i) such firearm is stored in a storage device with a combination lock, coded lock, or biometric lock and (ii) no minor or prohibited person is an authorized user for the lock of such storage device. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.
C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) any person in lawful possession of a firearm who is carrying such firearm on his person or (ii) the storage of any antique firearm as defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing any person from lawfully authorizing a minor to access a firearm in accordance with §
18.2-56.2
.
E. Every dealer, as defined in §
18.2-308.2:2
, shall post in a conspicuous manner at the premises of such dealer a notice stating: "Any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present shall store such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person,
or shall render such firearm incapable of being fired by use of a gun locking device appropriate to that firearm and specific to this purpose
. A violation of this law is a Class 2 misdemeanor."